The local travel guide magazine Que Pasa (Whats Up, in English) is full of great articles about the people, places, and fun things to do while visiting Antigua or Lake AtitlanGuatemala. Even those of us who live in Guatemala find the magazine interesting and is a great source of upcoming events.

The most recent edition of Que Pasa features information on several of the NGOs (non governmental organizations) in the area. There are many of these great organizations who provide much needed services to the poorer and under served population of Guatemala. We thank Que Pasa magazine for promoting these organizations.

I serve on the board of directors of Amigos de Santa Cruz, www.amigosdesantacruz.org, and I am pleased that we have a nice mention in this article. The mission of Amigos de Santa Cruz is to help improve the lives of the indigenous people of Santa Cruz la Laguna and surrounding villages through support for education, better health, a cleaner environment and sustainable economic development. What make Amigos unique is that we have chosen to focus on the rural communities that make up Santa Cruz La Laguna, a total population of about 6,000, rather than spreading our resources out to a farther reach. We are participating in a generational change in our villages that is powerful. We are watching what can happen when a generation becomes educated for the first time .

Living on Lake AtitlanGuatemala as a full time resident has its advantages. Every guest who crosses our path reminds us how lucky we are to live in this magical place. Each day we benefit from breathtaking scenery, a perfect year round climate, an active lifestyle, and a wonderful and varied international community.

One of the down sides to living in this area is the shortage of great restaurants. For one who loves fine dining and great wines, this is a fairly big challenge. Over the years I have tried almost every restaurant in the Lake Atitlan area. I would like to share with you some of my favorites. I will start my reviews with one restaurant per village.

Club Ven Aca in the north shore village of El Jaibalito is a great place to start. Since it opened its gates in 2006, Club Ven Aca has raised the bar for fine dining on Lake Atitlan.

Wanting to be more than just a restaurant, guests are treated to an entire experience including a swimming pool with swim up bar, hot tub, and an atmosphere that is elegant and welcoming.

Access is by boat unless you happen to be staying at one of the nearby hotels. You can travel by public boat from most of the villages or call for a private pick up. The Club Ven Aca private dock is just to the east of the Jaibalito public dock.

It has become the place to be for Hot Tub Happy Hour on Wednesday and Friday afternoons, as well as Sunday brunch. The real value is in the combination of great food, excellent service, and the ambiance of a private club.

Everyone feels pampered without having to spend a fortune. Prices are from 30 – 75 Quetzales per plate. The bar has an excellent selection of top shelf liquors and a great wine selection. Their house specialty drink is the Jaibalito mojito; a delicious rum drink using the local basil in place of mint.

Some of my favorite dishes include the seared ahi tuna, the vegetarian antipasto plate, fish tacos, and the salade niciose. Their generous sandwich selections include steak sandwich, Ven Aca burger, and whiskey chicken. They also have a pris fixe dinner menu if you plan ahead and wish to come for dinner. Sunday Brunch and a plate of eggs benedict has become one of my weekly habits. Home-made ice creams are always available to finish up a great meal.

If you want to learn more about the village of Jaibalito and its people, please visit this website. It will help you to learn more about the smallest village on Lake Atitlan Guatemala. http://www.jaibalito.org/